Everything for You
by jcrycolr3wradc
Summary: Kid left Crona in the rain ten years ago. Now he is back in Death City for his high school reunion. Will he be able to reclaim what he once had with Crona? (KidxCrona. Crona is a transgender female. TW: Child abuse. Transphobia. Please leave a Review.) Now with 100% more Soul/Maka. CHAPTER 5 FIXED!
1. Chapter 1

Everything For You

(A/N: This is a not quite high school AU. Crona is a trans woman in this and uses she/her. TRIGGER WARNING: TRANSPHOBIA AND CHILD ABUSE. (Also, murder, possibly.))

 **2005**

It was the last night of their senior year. Crona wasn't allowed to go to graduation and Kid had hardly had a moment to get away from his father, who couldn't stop talking about how proud he was that his son had gotten into Harvard.

This might be his last chance to fix things, to convince her to leave this town with him.

Kid was aware how odd his car, a 2004 Chevrolet Impala, looked parked in front of the squat rundown ranch style house Crona lived in with her mother and step brother. He knocked softly on the door and almost immediately it opened. She'd been waiting in front of it then, waiting to see if he'd come. Crona only opened it part way, hiding her face behind the door. He wondered if she was doing it to block the noise or if she had another black eye.

"Kid-id." Her voice told him everything. The 'please be quiet, mother is home and she won't like to see you,' the 'Ragnarok is on the couch and in a mood,' and the 'I can't come with you.'

"Crona. Please." His voice was quiet. Kid reached his fingers through the crack in the door, reaching for her hand. She flinched back.

"Come with me Crona. We'll get away from Medusa and Ragnarok. You can come with me to Boston."

"B-but, your father, he wants you to go to Harvard. You want to become a lawyer! You need to go Kid."

Tears were slipping down her face. There was a noise from behind her and Crona looked over her shoulder. "I can't come with you. P-p-please, leave!" She shoved the door harder, pushing him out.

Kid struggled with his temper as the door shut between them.

"I would have given up everything for you." Was the last thing Kid ever said to her, slipping away in the dusk.

 **Ten years later, 2015.**

 **Thursday, the 23rd.**

"Kid."

"Kid."

"Kid!"

He flinched when a pretzel hit him in the face.

"Liz! What on earth are you -"

"I've been calling your name for ten minutes, fool." Liz snapped, brushing a bang out of her face.

"That's no excuse to throw food." Kid lectured. Liz rolled her eyes at him.

"You're so out of it you didn't even realize that we're getting ready to land. Put on your belt before the attendant comes back."

Kid rolled up the blind on the window he had been staring out of. The plane slowly descended into Las Vegas, Nevada. The city was stuck like a cactus in the middle of the shining desert, isolated from the rest of the world.

Kid sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was easy part of traveling back to Death City, and one of the major reasons he hadn't been back in ten years. He took out the neatly creased letter that had arrived for him three months ago.

 _Dear Mr. Kid Morte,_

 _We are delighted to invite you back for your ten year reunion at Death City Academy. The reunion will take place the last weekend in May, from Friday the 24th to Sunday the 26th. Friday there will be open tours of the school for alumni to come back to our hallowed halls and fondly reminisce on their time spent here. Saturday is the Alumni Picnic for family and friends, and finally on Sunday evening is a catered dinner and formal dance hosted by Death City High School. Please feel free to bring your partners and families along. RSVP by May 1st._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Vice Principal_

 _Spirit Albarn_

Kid sighed again. With this letter had come a handwritten letter from his father, enthusiastically explaining how great it would be to see his little boy after ten years apart, and how Kid should bring who ever he wanted to with him back to Death City, so long as he came back home for this one weekend. He a flicker of guilt tighten his stomach.

Was it really Kid's fault if the previous times he had tried to go back home had been thwarted? There was simply never a good time for him to get away from school, first at Harvard and then in law school. And the past two years Kid had finally had the opportunity to manage his own cases, and not just take grunt work from the law firm partners. It was good that the school had sent these out three months early or else he would have never been able to take the time off.

The plane set down with a gentle bump. Across from him Liz stretched, and ran a hand through her hair. Next to her, Patti had already taken off her seat belt and was rolling up her magazine.

' _First class does have some benefits_.' Kid thought to himself as the flight attendants opened the doors and the other businessmen and woman prepared to leave the plane.

Then the heat hit. The previously chilly cabin quickly baked in the sun.

"Wow Kid! You weren't jokin'. I can already see Lizzy getting a sunburn." Patti giggled as the trio were waved off the plane by the attendants. Liz wrinkled her nose.

"Don't joke about that Patti! Do you want me to melanoma?" She scolded her younger sister.

"You're already a little melodramatic, big sis. I don't think you need any more." Patti grinned.

Liz groaned. "Not really what I meant Patti."

They enter the terminal, and headed towards the baggage claim. While his father had blithely given him permission to bring anyone to the reunion, Kid doubted he had the Thompson sisters in mind.

He had met Elizabeth and Patricia Thompson his first month in Boston. When they had tried picking his pocket. Luckily Kid always carried two wallets, so as to keep his outfit precisely symmetrical. They grabbed the dummy wallet, right before Kid noticed. A week later, the sisters found his private apartment and demanded who in their right mind kept a wallet with no money in it.

Kid had quickly found himself playing host to them on a regular basis. It was when Patti had casually referred to his apartment as home that Kid had invited them to live with him. The three of them had been inseparable since. Kid had been an only child and since cutting ties with everyone in Death City, he had been on his own in the east coast.

Liz and Patti were from Brooklyn New York and when they met Kid in Boston had several warrants out for petty theft, breaking and entering, and assault.

After helping them to get jail time and fines reduced, Kid had worked with them to rent a larger apartment and the three of them had lived in Boston. Liz finished her GED and quickly caught up to Kid, getting her bachelor's in communication. Patti was bartender at one bar and was a bouncer at another one. After Kid graduated, they'd moved back to New York when Kid was offered a job at one of the smaller and less exclusive firms.

Since then Liz had been promoted to a full time supervisor for a Verizon call center, Patti helped manage a local pub and Kid was one of the junior partners for the firm.

"It's already way too hot." Liz as they walked out of the terminal. She squinted in the bright sunlight. "Kid you rented a car for this right?"

"Yes. It should be reserved for us at the dealer." Kid gestured to the west part of the parking lot. The rental station was slow when they entered it's air conditioned lobby. Kid strode up to the desk. The receptionist was on his phone, and chewing gum, and only gave a passing glance to Kid.

"Can I help you?" He yawned eyes still glued to the device in front of him.

"Hello. I believe I spoke to a mister Ash Williams on the phone about renting a car for this weekend? We're here to pick it up." Kid folded his hands in front of himself. The bored looking receptionist rolled his eyes but typed in his name and pulled up his request. His eyes widened at what Kid had reserved and he jumped to his feet.

"Yes sir. Right away. Let me bring that around for you. Would you or your ladies like anything? Coffee or tea?" His eyes flickered over Liz's form. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, flipping her dark blonde hair over one shoulder.

"We're fine. Thank you." Kid checked his watch. The receptionist took the hint and went to drive the car around.

Liz looked at him suspiciously. "What car did you rent Kid?" Kid allowed himself the smallest of smiles.

"Let's go see it shall we?" They strolled out to the front of the building, the sun laughing over head.

"Wow Kiddo!" Patti breathed in amazement.

A gun steel colored Jaguar sat in the sunlight, it's engine purring.

"I'm driving it." Liz declared, blue eyes sparkling.

"Shotgun!" Patti's hand immediately shot skyward. She rushed around to get in.

"It has GPS!" She squealed from inside the car.

"Kid, sign the stuff and let's hit the road." Liz commanded, sauntering towards the car. Kid had never taken any interest in automobiles, but after years of hot-wiring cars had made both Thompsons autophiles. It was just one way of thanking them for agreeing to come with him for the weekend.

After signing for the car and letting the attendant load the luggage, Kid tipped with a twenty and slipped into the back seat.

"Do not get us pulled over, but feel free to do eighty on the interstate." He told Liz, who adjusted the rear view mirror and grinned.

"Got it, Kiddo."

~x~x~

Death City Nevada had been founded during the gold rush in 1847. Robert 'Robin' Morte had stopped to camp on a hill in the middle of the desert. While trying to dig for a well for water, he had struck crude oil instead. Under the hill was a reservoir of oil, and with the industrial revolution blooming, Morte was soon a rich man. In the west of Death Valley, he founded a small town, which quickly grew as people flooded in from both California and the east.

The town quickly became prosperous and in fondness for both the founder, Morte and its location, it became Death City.

From Las Vegas it was around two hours to drive out to the middle of the desert. Like lump of red and black turned over in the middle of the flat land, Death City rose suddenly out of the horizon. Kid quietly breathed out through his nose as his home came into view.

"Wow Kid!" Patti sat up from where she had been slouched down in the front seat. She'd grown bored trying to make them play 'I Spy' after the first fifteen minutes, and had spent the rest of the trip coloring her Avengers coloring book. "It's so pretty! Lizzy look, it looks like skull when you squint your eyes!"

"Patti don't say stuff like that about Kid's home. It's not nice." Liz shivered dramatically.

"Actually she's right. At the highest point of the city is a staircase that has the etching of _Memento Mori_."

"What? Why?" Liz looked at him using the rearview mirror.

Kid shrugged, looking out the window. "Well there is nothing but death in the desert after all. The founders of Death City became rich from the crude oil they had found but my ancestor Robin Morte, wanted to remind them that their success was ethereal. So at the top of the city, he built something would have a lasting impact on the city, a legacy that would remain even after his death."

"Oh! What is it?" Patti had turned around completely, blues eyes large and excited. The coloring book was held limply between her thumb and forefinger.

Kid smiled. "It was a school. You can't see it from this direction but on the three other sides of Academy have a book, a candle and a bell engraved on the steps as well."

"That's really neat Kid. I didn't know you were related to the founders of the city. Guess that kinda makes you like, a town hotshot or somethin'." Liz grinned.

Kid looked out the window again, face hot. "Well, uh, I suppose you should know. My father is the, ahem, mayor."

"Hold it, hold it, hold it. I thought you said your dad was the principal?" Liz asked.

"Yes, the first city law is that if your are elected mayor of Death City you also need to principal the Academy. Robin thought it would keep his successors humble." Kid explained.

"I think that's really cool Kid! So would you be, like, the next mayor if you move back?" Patti bounced in her seat.

Liz snorted. "Kid won't ever move back. He loves the big city too much, right Kid?"

Kid shrugged and stared at the approaching city. Patti glanced at her sister, eyebrows raised. Liz tipped her mouth down and gave a tiny shrug. She turned the radio back up, sensing that Kid was done with this particular conversation.

Since getting the invitation, Kid had been increasingly broody and distant with them. She caught him staring off into the middle distance when he was suppose to be working or at home. At first Liz had assumed that he'd changed his medication again without telling them but when doing pharmacy runs it was the same drill as usual. Trying to make him talk to her had resulted in a burned dinner and slammed doors.

Liz wanted to help Kid. He was like the high-strung younger brother with zero survival instinct she'd never asked for but received anyway. His behavior was making her nervous and she was hoping that having a break from work and relaxing would resolve what ever was going on.

Or at least, Liz hoped it wasn't going to make it worse.

~x~x~

"Nice house Kid!" Patti hopped out of car while Liz pulled to a stop. "It's huge!"

Liz got out and stretched, hands over her head. Kid got out of the car last, staring up at his childhood home. A victorian style mansion with three floors and large porch. It was built to the west of the school and you could actually see it from the dining room.

The front of house was dark and the door was locked. Kid sighed internally. Undoubtedly his father had either forgotten his arrival date or hadn't bothered to unlock the house before he arrived.

So much for all that 'So excited that you're coming home Kid!'.

With a creak the door opened into the foyer, dust motes visible in the dim light.

"Your dad does know we were planning on staying here right?" Liz peered around.

"Yes. I told him in advance." Kid groped along the siding for the light switch. Finding it, he flicked it on and the hallway flooded with light. A wave of nostalgia washes over him, his father hasn't changed a thing since Kid left ten years ago. His eyes are dry and he has to blink several times in the light.

"This is beautiful Kid!" Patti spun around in a circle, tracing over the complex moulding near the ceiling.

"Thank you. I'll show you to your rooms." Kid picked up his suitcase and led them through the house to the second floor.

"What's on the third floor?" Patti asked curiously.

"Those are my father's room. Please don't disturb him." Kid answered simply.

"So wait, does your father live here or not?" Liz had picked on exactly what he hadn't wanted to tell them.

Kid stopped and sighed. "My father is extremely agoraphobic and a hypochondriac. Since my mother died it's been worse and he rarely ever leaves his rooms on the third floor."

There's surprise and compassion in Liz's eyes when he turns around and continues down the hallway.

"Anyway, I'm not sure if he'll be coming out of his rooms to meet you on this trip. Hopefully he won't neglect his duties as the principal and fail to show for the reunion party." Kid's back is turned and he misses the look that Liz and Patti exchange.

Trying to change the subject, Liz asks "Is your room on this floor?"

Kid nods. "Yes, it is in the middle of the floor. And this," Kid threw open a pair of french double doors, "Is your room."

The setting sun is illuminating room. There was a four poster bed in the middle of the room and two more doors. One of the left and one on the right.

"The one to your right leads to an adjacent bedroom and the left is the bathroom." Kid explained.

"Wow." Liz walked into the room and turned around. It wasn't huge but it was still probably as big as their kitchen and living room combined in New York. "Kid," Her voice faltered and she smiled at him. "Its beautiful."

"Yeah, Kid." Patti gave him a full frontal hug. "Thanks for inviting us."

"I wouldn't have anyone else." Kid said simply, squeezing Patti tighter and smiling at Liz over her shoulder. "Anyway, why don't you get ready for dinner? I want to show you around Death City."

"Alright. We'll see you soon." Kid walked back out into hallway and the door gently shut behind him.

He hadn't seen this door in ten years but the grain of the wod was familiar when he ran his fingers over it, and reached for the door knob. Kid pushed on the door and it opened on silent hinges into his childhood bedroom. Kid peered around, the light dimming and flicked the light switch on the wall. When light flooded the room, Kid could hardly hold back the nostalgia that threatened to sweep him off his feet.

Everything was exactly as it was when he rushed out in 2005, chasing an early flight to Boston. A thin layer of dust covered everything as Kid walked through the room, staring around. His bed is still precisely made. The mirror was clean and streak free. When Kid check the bathroom, the toilet paper was still folded into a triangle. It was as though his room has been waiting patiently for him to return.

Kid set his suitcase on the bed and began unpacking. When he opened the closet, the pictures that still adorned his wall fluttered and one tore loose, landing on the floor like a leaf in autumn. Before he could move to grab it, the door opened and Liz poked her head in. She'd changed from her travel wear of soft slacks and button up top with a heavy dark jacket to a much lighter pink blouse and designer jeans. Her hair was swept back into a ponytail with a butterfly barrette.

"Hey Kid, you still in here?" Her gaze landed on the photo on the ground. Before Kid could move, she stooped down and picked it up.

"Aww. That's a sweet picture Kid. Who's this?" Liz cooed. She turned it around and showed him.

It must have been his junior year. Maka had been on the yearbook staff, jockeying to become editor and had carried that stupid camera around with her literally everywhere. Kid wasn't sure, but there was probably at least another hundred in a shoebox under his bed. (All sorted by date of course.) This one was especially well done.

They were sitting under one of the oldest trees in all of Death City. It looked like it was a nice day, but Kid couldn't remember. His memory said that all of the days he had with her had been nice days.

" _Did you have a favorite from today?" Kid asked, absently braiding blades of grass together. Crona was hesitantly flipping through her books. She was wearing loose jeans and an old sweater, even in the heat. Maka had let her borrow a scrunchie for her hair and today she even had a small amount of mascara on. Kid knew the scrunchie and the makeup would have to be gone before Crona went home, but she looked so comfortable now, it was worth it. (Mostly. The last time Crona had tried to wear makeup at home she'd gotten a black eye and forced to miss school for two days while the writing washed away. He'd never managed to find out if it was Medusa who wrote in sharpie on her face, 'Boys Don't Wear Makeup', or Ragnarok.)_

" _Um no. Not, really." She finally admitted. Kid looked up in surprise. Today had been a lesson in romantic era poetry in Mjolnir's class. Poetry was usually Crona's favorite subject and one she excelled at._

 _Kid cocked his head and abandoned the grass. He tangled their hands together instead._

" _Why not?"_

 _Crona bit her lip and looked down. He felt her squeeze slightly on his hand._

" _They're all very traditional. I can't really understand it." Kid grinned, and kissed her hand._

" _Lets look at them together and I'm sure we'll figure it out."_

Maka had gotten them the moment Kid kissed her hand. Even at a distance the picture had been taken at, Kid could see the way they looked at each other in adoration. Young love at it's sickeningly naive finest. Kid touched it carefully, looking at Crona's smile. It was pathetic but he was happy it as still the same as the one in his memory.

Crona.

"Who's Crona?" Liz asked, and Kid blushed as he realized what he'd said outloud.

"Old friend. What did you want?" He asked, brusquely. Liz started back and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Patti is almost done with her shower. After she gets dressed we should be good to go." Liz said softly, handing the picture back.

"That sounds fine. I'm still unpacking." Kid said hurriedly, scooping it up, but trying not to look at it.

"Okay. Just let us know." Liz kept her tone soft. Sympathetic, but questioning. Before she turned away, Kid sighed and pressed the palm of a hand into his eyes.

"Crona. Crona she was, she was." His voice falter and he had to cough to clear it. "She was my first girlfriend, alright?"

Liz looked at him. Stared at him, really. In the nearly decade of knowing each other, Kid had rarely talked about what had prompted him to sever ties from his home town completely. The one timed Patti had asked, Kid had stormed away in a fit of temper. He occasionally mentioned best friends and the trouble they'd been into, including getting expelled from their own prom, but never, ever had he mentioned a girlfriend.

"She's cute, Kid." Liz finally said. "Is she here for the reunion, do you know?"

Kid shuddered, his head still down. "I don't know. We broke up the night I left for Boston. I haven't heard a word about her since."

"Oh no, Kid that's terrible. I'm guessing it was ugly?" Liz wasn't sure if being closer to Kid was what he need but she moved to put a hand on his back. He accepted, but every muscle was corded with tension.

Kid nodded jerkily. "Yes. Exceedingly so. I was only suppose to move to Boston in September but I managed to get an immediate flight the night we broke it off. Since then I haven't written to, called, emailed or messaged anyone who lived here other than my father. Elizabeth, if I am completely honest," Kid raised his head and he swallowed hard against the knot of emotion in his throat, "I really have no idea what the hell I am doing back here."

Liz could count the number of times Kid had called her by her full name on one hand. Two of them had been within six months of each other, when he was helping her and Patti settle their law infractions, and she'd risked doing jail time for robbing a gas station. Another had been when Patti had appendicitis and need to go to the hospital. Both times Kid had called her that to center her when Liz was panicking.

This was the first time Kid had ever called her that out of a need for support.

"Okay Kid. It's going to be fine." She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight. Kid let out a shuddering breath and sighed. After a moment, they both stepped back. Liz rubbed at her eyes while Kid cleared his throat uneasily.

"Thanks for telling me Kid. Just let me know if you need to talk about it any more, okay?"

Before Kid could agree, Patti opened the door.

"Are you guys ready yet?" Her hair was still curly from her shower.  
Liz nodded and gave Kid's hand a squeeze. "We'll be waiting down stairs, okay?" She pushed Patti out the door, ignoring her sister's protests.

Kid sighed and looked at the picture again.

"This was a mistake." He whispered, although Kid wasn't sure if he meant coming home, or having a long standing infatuation.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"Ugh! Kid we've been walking around for like an hour now. Lets just pick a place already." Liz leaned against one of the brick buildings on the street. Kid sighed and tugged at his jacket cuffs until he was sure they were even.

"Alright, alright fine. You can pick it Liz." They had been walking around the downtown area of Death City looking for a place to eat. The city had changed enough while Kid had been gone that he didn't recognize the restaurants anymore. Liz sighed and looked around.

"How do you guys feel about Italian? The place across the street maybe?" She pointed. Kid scrutinized it. An older brick building with slightly tinted windows and a cheerful white and green striped awning. Outside there was a chalk sign announcing the specials and 'Live Music Every Thursday and Friday!'

"So long as they can make pizza I'm happy." Patti announced. They both looked at Kid. He shrugged and tugged on his sleeves again.

"It looks acceptable."

'Roberto's' was not very crowded when they were seated. It was darkly lit and smelled like fresh bread and cilantro. Shoved into one corner was a cello, a microphone and a piano.

Just as the bread and wine arrived, a young woman sat down at the cello and an older man worked on setting up the microphone. The talking in the restaurant dipped, people starting to look at the ad hoc stage in interest. After a few minutes of nothing happening, the chatter rose again.

Kid raised his eyebrows at Liz.

"Oh shut up. Like you had any better ideas." She sniffed before taking a sip of the Sangiovese. Patti tore off a chunk of the bread and popped it in her mouth. "I fink they're waating fer 'omeone."

"Patti don't talk with you mouth full." Kid ordered. She grinned at him, mouth still full of bread.

"No, look she's right." Liz tilted her head at the corner. One of the waiters was looking deeply unimpressed as the cellist texted frantically on her phone and the singer scratched the back of his head. The waiter walked away shaking his head. Kid shrugged and turned back.

"Whoever it is must be a hell of a pianist if they're willing to wait around for them."

Dinner had just arrived. Chicken linguini with a mushroom sauce for Liz, a pepperoni and mozzarella flatbread for Patti and sun dried tomato linguine for Kid.

Liz raised the glass of wine to her lips, squinted over Kid's shoulder at the band and gasped.

"Holy shit. Is that Evans?"

Kid finished his bite of linguini, wiping his mouth carefully and turned around.

It was, in fact, Soul Evans. Kid nearly started laughing.

'One hell of a pianist' indeed.

Soul had been one of the few 'undeclared' going to Harvard, even though it was clear his passion was for music. Kid had met him sitting in the back row of a class on Gothic Architecture in his freshman year.

X~x~X

"I like your shirt. It's cool." The boy had sat next to him, slouching in his seat and playing with the swizzle straw in his coffee. His book textbook was still closed and he had spent the first thirty minutes of the class drawing in his notebook.

Kid glanced down at it and frowned.

The shirt in question had been one that Crona had bought him for his birthday. Kid hadn't recalled packing it but he couldn't bring himself to get rid of it either. It was simple design of a perfectly symmetrical sugar skull in black and white.

"Thank you. I like yours too." Kid turned back to taking notes on his laptop.

The boy shrugged and plucked at the faded 'Piano Man' shirt.

"What's your name?" Kid suppressed a sigh at being interrupted again.

"Morte. Kid Morte." The boy stared at him for a second before breaking out into laughter. A few of the other students whipped around to hiss at him. He slapped a hand over his mouth. Kid frowned again.

"Sorry but dude. Your name is Kid Death?"

"Yes. It is. Are you done?" Kid asked when the boy giggled into his hand. He was a little impressed that he'd known what 'Morte' had meant but was much less impressed that he thought Kid's name was hilarious.

"Yeah yeah sorry. It's just -"

An upperclassmen sitting a row in front of them turned around.

"Some of us are trying to pay attention." The boy reddened.

"Sorry." He muttered when they turned around.

After the class, Kid was on his board, skating across the quad to his next class when the boy caught up.

"Hey Death the Kid!" Kid nearly lost his balance and had to stop.

"What did you just call me?" He demanded. The boy shot him a grin and Kid noticed that his teeth were slightly crooked, so they all looked a little bit pointed.

"Death. The. Kid. Kid Death. Death the Kid."

It was the kind of stupid thing Black Star would have called him, Kid thought to himself, his stomach curling up and souring.

"I'm Soul." The boy re-adjusted the red beanie on his head, and stuck his hand out. Kid looked at it and then looked at Soul. He was still trying for a smirk but it was coming off the longer Kid stared at him.

"And you laughed at my name?" Kid said taking his hand and shaking it. Soul stopped trying to smirk and grinned sheepishly instead.

"Yeah well. It's a cool name."

X~x~X

Soul had turned out to be a good friend. After being introduced to Kid's impromptu roommates he and Liz had tried to date for about thirty seconds before both decided it would be better to be friends. After graduation, Kid had lost touch, but the last he heard Soul was living in southern California making his way playing the piano.

What he was doing in Death City Nevada, Kid had no idea. But the white hair and slouch were unmistakably Soul Evans. The piano playing solidified it.

"Wow. I forgot how good he was." Liz said appreciatively.

"Yeah. He always did have more talent than he knew what to do with." Kid took a sip of wine. Soul was an incredible player. It was more like an instinct than a talent for him. However he had never wanted to play in front of people. He had apparently gotten over it somehow. Kid waved the waiter over.

"Can you give this to the piano player, when he's done?" Kid handed him a neatly folded napkin. The waiter nodded and hurried off, dropping the napkin on the top board of the piano when he rushed past.

"What did you write?" Patti asked.

Kid told them.

"Oh my god Kid. You are such a nerd." Liz shook her head but watched eagerly when Soul opened the napkin and looked at it. His red eyes widen and he looked around the restaurant frantically. After a moment he looked over at their table. Even from a distance, Kid could see him mouth the words, 'what the fuck!' Patti giggled, wiggling her fingers at him. Soul Frantically talked to the cell cello player, who looked deeply exasperated. She sighed and waved him away. Soul grinned and made his way between the tables.

"Death the Kid." Kid stood up to greet him and was surprised when Soul gave him a full bodied hug.

"Soul Evans." They pulled away and Soul looked around, his eyes widening when he saw Liz and Patti.

"The gang's all here huh?" Patti jumped up and threw her arms around Soul.

"You bet we are! The three amigos, you bet your ass Evans."

Liz brushed her hair aside and gave Soul a hug, giggling when he kissed her cheek.

"What are you doing out here? The last we heard you were in California, doing the whole starving artist thing." Soul sat down at the empty chair. He shrugged.

"I tried it for a while. Played for a couple of bands, did some gigs. Did some time as a private tutor." He shrugged again, bringing his hands up to the table. As he did the light caught a ring on his left hand. Liz gasped audibly.

"Oh my god Soul! Congratulations!"

"Don't get too excited, it's a promise ring. She still has time to back out." Soul fiddled with it, grinning nervously. Patti gently poked him in the arm.

"With a nickname like 'Soul Eater' and piano hands? What kind of girl could resist?" Soul blushed while Liz and Patti laughed. Kid rolled his eyes.

"What about you? What are you doing here?" Soul nodded at Kid.

"High school reunion." Kid shrugged. "This is my home town." Soul's jaw dropped and his red eyes went wide.

"You're from that Morte family?" He slapped Kid's arm. "Dude, you shoulda told me. I work as a music teacher there now."

Kid raised an eyebrow. The school must be doing well if they could still afford a full time music teacher.

"That' so cool!" Patti grinned. "We're visiting the school tomorrow, Kid's gonna show us around." Soul nodded.

"Yeah we've had all kinds of alumni coming through. My fiance also works there, she's teaching AP english, and she won't stop complaining about them disrupting lessons."

"Aw that's so cute that you work together!" Liz clapped her hands.

Before Kid could ask Soul who his fiance was a waiter tapped him on the shoulder.

"Evans they're waiting on you." Soul looked over his shoulder and grimaced.

"I have to go. But I want you guy's to meet her. Do you have any plans for tomorrow evening?" Kid shook his head.

"Well now you do. Here." Soul wrote an address on a napkin with the time, eight o'clock pm. "Bring a bottle of wine. Something red that goes well with steak." At Kid's affronted look, Soul grinned. "What? Your family is old money. I know you know your wines, Death the Kid." Kid rolled his eyes but pocketed the napkin.

"Fine. You find a good steak though, Soul Eater. I'll bring the 2002 Seavey Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm sure father still has a bottle somewhere." Kid smirked as Soul laughed.

"We'll see you tomorrow. Eight sharp."

"Have I ever been late?"

~x~x~

Kid, Liz and Patti get back to the house late, around ten PM.

"Mm. Goodnight Kid." Liz yawned, stretching her arms over her head.

"Sleep tight. Don't let the syphilis bite." Patti snickered and closed her door behind her. Kid cocked his head. He loved Patti like a sister, but he was a little afraid of what went through her head at times.

Kid sighed as he closed the door behind him. As he got ready for bed it felt surprisingly normal, to be back in this room. After he finished getting dressed for bed, he walked his rituals. Locked and relocked the doors eight times. Remade his bed, centering the pillows carefully. Kid walked the perimeter touching each surface and checking his paintings. The picture of himself and Crona laid on his dresser. Kid brushed his fingers along the edge.

"What do I think I'm doing, coming back and hoping to find you?" Kid said softly. Then he shook his head. If his colleagues could see him now, 'Stone Cold Morte' standing in his childhood bedroom, whispering sentimentally to a picture.

He sighed.

"Goodnight, Crona."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning was devoted to showing Liz and Patti around Death City. Up and down the winding streets of Death City, Kid showed them places that had been dear in his childhood memories. The park where he learned to ride a skateboard, old houses of his friends, and even an oak where he had fallen out of trying to retrieve a lost kite. The park was overgrown the weeds and graffiti. The houses had no one living in them. The tree was long gone and in it's place new apartments had risen up.

Ten years for a city was longer than Kid had thought it would have been.

Liz seemed to notice his melancholy and steered them toward the city center, hopping on board an old fashioned cable car that ran up and down the hills Death City was built on. For a few hours they wandered around, poking around in small boutiques and arguing about what to have for lunch. Eventually they compromised and grabbed gyro's from a street vendor and Kid led them to the old town square to eat in the shade of the fountain there.

"If we have time before we leave, maybe I can show you the Bazaar that happens during the weekend." Kid gestured to the wide open space of the square. Liz was sitting on the fountain, fanning herself. Patti was walking along the edge, arms spread out, tip-toeing along like a gymnast.

"Wow, a baazar? That's classy." Liz said, pushing her sunglasses up on her head. "How far are away from the school?"

Kid looked up the hill, trying to remember. It had been a long time since he had walked to school. "Not too much longer. Approximately thirty minutes from what I remember."

Liz groaned so loudly that a few pigeons took flight.

"Kiiiddd. My feet hurt, I'm getting sunburned, and we could have driven the car!" She sulked, shoving her glasses back down. Kid aimed a pointed look at her sandals.

"I told you we would be walking today. You could have worn a different pair of shoes."

Liz drew back in horror. "And ruined the scheme and texture of the outfit? I don't fucking think so." Patti jumped down from the fountain ledge and pulled Liz to her feet.

"Cmon! The faster we walk the faster we get there okay?"

"If my feet don't fall off first."

XXX

"I'm going to kill you Kid. We're taking a taxi back, no arguments." Liz snapped as she limped up the last few feet of the school staircase. Even Patti was wilting in the baking sun.

The staircase was a lot longer than Kid remembered. This seemed easier when he was 16...

"Yes, fine. We still have dinner with Soul tonight anyway." Kid conceded. When they reached the top, no one was around. It was five; most of the students were probably long gone.

"Wow! Kid, you can see the whole valley from up here!" Patti shaded her eyes to look out over the city. To the south was the highway leading out into the desert. Around them sprawled the city, built into a spiral, leading up to the school. From here the black, white and red brick of the city seemed to shimmer in the afternoon heat.

"Show us where the house is from here?" Liz demanded, looking around. Kid squinted and pointed to the south west of the school.

"You can see the roof if you stand on the ledge just here." He stepped up on it and grinned into the sunlight and wind. Being so high up always made him feel like he was flying. There were no places like this in Boston or New York.

"Kid, it's so pretty!" Liz gasped in his ear, standing beside him. Patti stood on his other side and for a moment all three looked out over the valley.

He jumped down first and then helped Liz down while Patti lept off like a mountain goat.

"If you think that's impressive, wait until you see the school."

Death City Institute or Death City High, as the name had devolved, was built in 1860. Robin Morte had built the foundation with his very own hands. From a humble school house to one of the largest and most opulent high schools in the North American west, the school had a rare honor of being one of the oldest and being one of the ones that had never been privatised. Education belonged to all man, and Robin Morte would not have wanted his school to become a machine for commerce instead of learning.

Inside their footsteps echoed in the empty hallways. Everyone had gone for the day.

The girls lagged behind Kid as he slowly walked through the school. The hallways were still tiled in red, black and white. In his sophomore year, he and Black Star had spent too many hours racing each other down the halls, trying to only touch the black tiles. Kid cleared his throat at the memory and for a moment he swore he could hear Black Star's laughter, Maka's chiding, and Crona's soft voice. He was so absolved in his reminiscence that he nearly walked into someone leaving a classroom.

"Oh, excuse me. I didn't-"

"Kid Morte?"

Kid looked up in shock. Patti walked into his back, squeaking.

"Hey Kid what's the deal? Why'd you stop like that?" She looked over his shoulder.

"Is that a screw?" Patti blurted out from behind him.

"Kid Morte. Well I never thought I'd see you in these hall again." Professor Franken Stein. When Kid was in school Stein had served as his first period class all four years. The man was a genius, and had a penchant for dissection. He also enjoyed terrifying freshman with the screw that stuck out of head over his left ear.

No one knew how he had gotten it, or why it was there. The only thing they knew was that it wasn't a prop, and occasionally Stein had to tighten it with a pair of clamps that lived under his desk.

"Hello Professor Stein." Kid said softly. Stein's green eyes glinted in the fluorescent lighting and Kid felt like one of the mice they used to take apart in class. Open, exposed, examined.

"You're here for the reunion right? We've had everybody from your class in and out the past few days." Stein turned around and locked the classroom door behind him. "I guess I shouldn't really be surprised." He gazed absently at Liz and Patti. Kid heard Liz utter a little gasp as she saw the screw. "Who are your friends?"

Kid stepped aside. "Liz Patti, this was my old biology teacher. Professor Stein. This is Liz and Patti Thompson, Professor. I met them when I moved to Boston."

"Is that real?" Patti shook his hand but stared transfixed at the screw. Stein grinned a tad sadistically.

"Very."

"That is so cool!" Patti fist bumped him. Liz shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you Stein. Do you have any dirt on Kid here?"

Stein threw his head back and laughed. "Do you have a couple hours? I could tell you about any of his adventures. The time he and Maka released all of the mice for dissection-"

"That was Maka's idea." Kid said quickly.

"Or the time he and Black Star stole the pins for my chair-"

"Black Star's idea."

"Or how about the time I came in after work because I forgot my laptop and found you and Cron-"

"That's enough! Thank you Stein, we really must be going, lots of school to see!" He guided Liz and Patti away with a firm hand.

"I see you Saturday at the picnic!" Stein called as the trio escaped down the hallway. Patti waved at him, giggling.

Kid's face was red with embarrassment. He could very clearly remember the incident Stein was referring to.

/

 _They were suppose to be getting the textbooks Kid had forgotten in the classroom. By some miracle the door was still unlocked and everything. The books were just on his desk. But part way through Kid was distracted. Crona was still a little flushed from running back with him and leaning against Stein's desk, there was something so appealing about her._

 _They were still kissing, really making out was a better term for what they were doing, when the door opened and Stein walked in. Kid and Crona sprang apart and for one heart stopping moment Stein just stared at them._

" _I just needed to grab the keys and lock the door." He simply placked the keys from out of a desk drawer. "Don't leave any stains on the floor, and make sure the door shuts on your way out. Have a goodnight." He called from the door. It shut behind him with a click. After a moment they heard him call again, "Use condoms!"_

 _Crona moaned in mortification and Kid chuckled awkwardly, trying to fix his mussed clothing._

" _Shall we go?" He offered a hand to Crona, who took it, still blushing._

/

"Kid?"

He jerked out of his memories. His hand clenched at his side, still feeling warm from where Crona had grabbed it. Liz looked at him with concern.

"Who did that guy catch you making out with?" Patti asked mischievously.

"Highschool girlfriend. Doesn't matter." Kid said resolutely.

He could sense this wasn't going to be the last of it. Liz and Patti had the habit of hanging onto stuff he said or did like terriers. One of them was probably going to corner him, or Liz would tell her sister about what he'd said last night.

"Come on. I would like to show you the rest of the school." He kept walking down the hallway, shoes squeaking on the tiles.

"Can we go to the top and see the city from there?" Patti bounced along, running her hand along the lockers.

"When I was in school only one of the towers is still functional, but it might be locked. Why don't we go see?" Kid suggested.

"Great. More stairs." Liz groused from behind him.

The tower was locked, much to Liz's relief and it was getting close to six anyway. Even the office was locked and dark as they left the school.

"Is there a shortcut down these things?" Liz peered down the staircase. The city was getting cooler now, shadows settling in.

Kid shrugged. "Not really. But it's faster to get down them, than it is climbing up." Liz huffed and roller her eyes but started down them anyway. About halfway down Kid called for a taxi to meet them at the bottom. It sat idling as the trio got down the last of the stairs.

"You three here for the reunion?" The driver asked cheerfully as she pulled away from the school.

"Yes. Have you had a lot of people here for that?" Kid asked, looking up into her rearview mirror. It was slightly crooked to the left and and Kid shuddered.

"Oh yeah. Seems like everybody and their dog has been in and out of town. Met some real colorful people." She nodded empathetically at the road.

"I bet." Kid muttered, remembering his senior class.

The taxi dropped them off at the Gallows. As Kid paid and tipped Liz and Patti went inside to start getting ready to go to Soul's.

Kid looked at the address Soul had given him. It would probably take around fifteen minutes to get there. It was in a newer part of the city, a small residential neighborhood. As Kid passed Liz and Patti's room her heard them talking and giggling quietly.

"We're leaving at seven-thirty." He called through the door.

"Kayyyy!" Patti shouted back. The giggles resumed.

Kid shook his head and walked downstairs.

Somehow they ended out the door at seven thirty exactly as planned. After picking up flowers and the wine, as Kid had promised, they started towards Soul's house.

"What kind of girl do you think she is?" Liz asked. Kid shrugged.

"Probably another musician. I'm guessing he met her in L.A."

He stared out the window at the city. The street lights were on and people were home for the night. Overhead the moon was a yellow crescent, seeming to smile down on them.

"Hey Kid. You dodged my question earlier." Patti interrupted his thoughts. "That teacher caught you making out with someone. You said it was an old girlfriend. Was she why you left?"

He shifted a little in the leather seat. "Patti, the shortest answer to that question is yes. Crona was why I left, but it was like I wasn't already planning on leaving Death City."

Patti was quiet for a moment, and Kid resumed his staring. He jumped when he felt a hand on his knee. "You must have really liked her if she broke your heart enough to make you leave." Her voice was very soft. Kid gaped at her, unable to think of what to say. Patti smiled at him and turned back around.

Liz cleared her throat. "Hey look guys, we're here!" The jaguar pulled up to the curb.

It was a cute little bungalow, the lawn was neat and in the driveway was a 2005 Kia Optima. Kid laughed when he saw a familiar bright orange motorcycle next to it.

"God I can't believe he still owns that gaudy deathtrap." Liz shook her head.

"Oh come one Liz! I think it's really cool." Patti had been hinting she wanted a motorcycle. Kid wasn't convinced it was safe or economical for the city and Liz preferred cars. He grabbed the wine and flowers, stepping out of the car.

"I bet his fiance is just thrilled about it too." He muttered as they walked up to the door. Liz fiddled with her hair and Patti bounced in place as Kid rang the doorbell.

From inside he heard Soul shouting indistinctly. Footsteps approached and Kid heard a voice he never thought he would hear again. Before Kid could find a reason to backup or run away the door opened.

"I'm getting the door Soul! You'd better be pulling the steaks-"

Maka Albarn stopped when she realised who was standing on her porch. Her green eyes went wide and mouth opened

"Hello Maka." Kid said softly, steeling himself.

If there was another person on the face of the planet who had loved Crona more than him, it was Maka Albarn. She had simply felt a connection to Crona. She was the one who introduced Crona to him and Black Star. She was the one who helped Crona with her hair and makeup, leant Crona her clothes, and was forever inviting Crona to stay the night at her house, so she wouldn't have to deal with Medusa.

They should have been sisters. They were best friends.

Maka had called his phone everyday for two months after he left Death City. He deleted most of the messages, but Kid knew what most of them contained anyway. Maka, furiously demanding he the hell he thought he was doing, breaking Crona's heart. The last message she left Maka swore to never, ever forgive him. After that, Kid had never heard from her again. It simply figured that Soul would be getting married to the one person who might actually attempt to kill Kid with a steak knife.

For a long moment Maka simply stared at him, too shocked to move. Her expression melted from surprised to an expression so furious that her eyes actually teared up.

"Um h-" Liz started but was cut off when Maka slammed the door so hard the windows rattled. Kid winced then cringed when he heard Maka start yelling.

"WHAT THE FUCK SOUL?!" Liz jumped and a mourning dove took flight in alarm.

Kid heard Soul answering back in alarm and Maka shouting back. Another door slammed somewhere.

"S-should we leave?" Liz asked. Kid hesitated, when he heard footsteps marching back towards the door. It opened again and Maka was back. Kid leaned back when she ripped the wine out of his hands. She slammed the door again and Kid swore he saw a splinter fly off from the frame.

"Wow Kid! What did you do to her? We've shot people who hated us less later." Patti pointed out.

"You know the girl I was caught making out with?" Kid said.

"Yeah?"

"That was her best friend."

Both of the girls winced.

The door opened again and this time it was Soul. His expression was halfway between annoyed and terrified.

"You're the guy? The 'Guy'. The and this is a direct quote, 'asshole who broke Crona's heart then ran away like a goddamn coward and if I ever see him again it'll be too soon' guy?" He demanded.

Kid winced again.

"So she's still mad?" He asked dryly.

Soul took the flowers then opened the door wider. "I think you had better come in."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The interior of the little bungalow was very charming. Wood floors, off white walls with some interesting art and movie posters, it was a very good representation of the blending of lives that happens when two people live together for a very long time. There was a small dining area and Kid could see it was already set for five.

Soul took the flowers and grabbed a vase from a cabinet.

"You know, between her scummy father and you," Soul glared over his shoulder and Kid winced, "I don't really know who I should be more pissed at for her commitment problems." He filled the vase and set it neatly on the table.

"I got five pounds of bone in ribeye for this, Kid. Five pounds."

"Do you want us to leave?" Kid finally asked after a moment. Soul leaned against the sink, arms crossed over his chest.

"No. I haven't seen Liz and Patti in nearly six years. I'd like to catch up," he shrugged. "But you might have to go eat out on the porch."

"Okay. What the hell did Kid do?" Liz held up her hands stepping between the two of them. "I mean, okay a bad break-up I can understand, but you everyone is making this sound like Kid completely destroyed someone's life."

Soul looked between the two of them. "You haven't-" He closed his mouth with a snap as footsteps came down the stairs.

Maka and Kid had known each other since Kid started going to public school in 6th grade. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her without pigtails. She still hadn't gotten any taller. Maka's nose was a little red and her mascara was fresh.

She walked straight passed Kid, as he was another part of the wall and up to Liz, who eyed her warily.

"That was really rude, sorry. I'm Maka, Soul's girlfriend." Maka stuck her hand out, smiling charmingly. Liz took it slowly, like she was delicately handling a bomb.

"I-I'm Liz. I'm Kid's room mate."

Patti waved to Maka, undaunted by the other woman's previous aggressive actions.

"I'm her sister, Patti. It's nice to meet you, Maka."

Maka smiled and Kid could see how it strained over her mouth.

"It's nice to meet you as well. Come on, Soul cooked steaks. And hopefully they aren't almost raw like last time." Maka wrapped an arm around Soul waist.

"Maka, they were fillet mignon and I wasn't going to overcook them because you have not culinary tastes." Maka rolled her eyes.

"And being served to me almost raw makes it culinary?" She squeezed him before letting go and walking over to the table, already set. Soul smiled gently before shooting a warning glance at Kid.

"Oh my god, she really hates you," Liz hissed as she walked over to the table. Kid stared at her, and sighed.

"Thank you, Liz."

Maka continued to ignore him throughout the appetizers. She didn't look at him, or speak to him. Kid stayed very quiet, listening as Liz, Patti and Soul kept the conversation going.

"Where are the two of you from?" Maka took a sip of wine.

"New York. We met Kid in Boston." Patti said, and Maka nearly spit the wine out again. Soul made frantic 'please do not' motions. Patti simply smiled serenely.

"What about you Maka? Are you from California?" Liz cut through the tension smoothly.

She shook her head. "No, I'm a Death City child. It's always been my _home_." She shot a glare at Kid, cutting into her stake. "I always expected to come back _home_."

He winced, cutting into the steak. Liz shot him a sympathetic look.

"How did you meet?" Patti asked.

"I fell on top of him when I was shelving books." Maka replied dryly and even Kid had to grin at that.

"I caught her in my arms and asked her if it hurt when she fell from he-"

Maka laughed. "You did not! You stuttered out a hello and asked if I was hurt. I yelled at you for touching me. We didn't even see each other for another three month until I was dragged to Kilik's party."

Soul rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. "I was pretty cool though right?"

Maka rolled her eyes. "The coolest, Soul."

Liz laughed. "Yeah Soul's moves have always been slick. He was always a huge nerd in Boston." She winked. "Good to know that never changes." Maka frowned slightly, looking between Soul and Liz.

"How did you two meet?" She asked, casually, reaching for her wine again.

"Um, Kid introduced us after we pickpocketed him."

Maka looked Kid in the face for the first time since they sat down at the table.

"Good. I'm glad. I hope you got the real one." Kid winced again and Liz frowned, while Patti tightened her hold on her fork.

"We didn't. Thanks for the well wishes, I guess."

An awkward silence descended over the table as Maka glared at Kid and Kid kept eyes contact with his steak. Liz, Patti and Soul seemed to be communicating through raised eyebrows.

Finally Kid sighed, "What do you want from me, Maka? I'm sorry."

Maka looked at him, slamming her hand down on the table. Soul and Liz jumped. Patti stopped chewing.

"You left her." Kid had never been the target of so much venom. Maka's green eyes blazed. "After everything, you left her, Kid. And all you have is an apology to me?"

Something in Kid snapped.

"I begged her, Maka. I begged her. I would have done anything to make her come with me. If she'd wanted a ring I would have had one on her finger in a heartbeat," he drew in a shuddering breath, voice getting louder with every word, "What was I supposed to do Maka? Stay here and watch her waste away?! She chose to stay!"

"Bullshit!" Maka was on her feet now, the chair scraping along the floor. Kid's vision had tunneled to the two of them, and he couldn't see anything else. He got up too, heedless of Liz's yelp. "You know what her house was like! You know what Medusa would have done! Crona never could have left, not while Medusa was still alive. She was frightened!" Maka laughed and it was bitter. "She was frightened for you, goddamnit!"

"I would have protected us, both, and she would have never been frightened again! Do you think I don't regret it, Maka? That I don't wake up in the morning wish I could do it over?" He shouted every word, emotions as raw as they had been ten years ago when he left. His wounds were reopening, bleeding fresh. "There isn't a day that passes that I wish it was different. That I wish I hadn't been a coward. I should have-"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED!" Maka finally screamed, slamming her hand down on the table again. Her eyes started beading with tears. "I did! Even after what mama and papa put me through, I fucking stayed! Even though I was terrified I'd wake up one day and get a call, the call that she was gone! That Medusa finally killed her or she gave up! I used to make her stay on the phone with me until she fell asleep, make her tell me what was going through her head! I called every morning to make sure she'd wake up! Then I went to California and I dreaded every phone call, thinking 'oh god, please don't be papa calling me to tell her she's gone too'!" Maka drew in a shuddering breath and sobs choked her next words, "And then one day he calls me and says that Medusa is dead and Crona's gone and no one knows where she is!"

Kid drew back in surprise.

Crona wasn't here? She wasn't in Death City?

She was gone?

Maka wasn't done and before Kid could recover from his shock she shouted, "You broke her heart Kid! She trusted you and you broke her fucking heart!"

Kid opened his mouth to respond. But the words never made it out as Maka threw her glass of wine on him, then turned on her heel and ran out her back door.

It slammed with the same kind of finality that Crona's had.

For a moment Kid could only stand there, stunned. Liz and Patti stared at him, mouths half open. Soul half rose, looking after Maka with concern all over his features.

Kid ran a hand through his hair, the wine stinging his eyes.

"I'm going to go-"

Soul interrupted. "I'm going to go after her. You're going to clean up my table."

Kid nodded distractedly, still in shock. Soul softened his hard look slightly.

"Use a dish towel. You look like you got in a bar fight." He followed Maka out the back door.

"Holy shit," Patti muttered quietly.

Indeed.

If there had been a tablecloth it would have been stained beyond repair. However the bare oak wood seemed to survive the angry onslaught okay and the only victim was Kid's dress shirt.

Once he started cleaning, Kid couldn't stop, mind whirling.

Crona was gone. She had left long ago, and now she probably wasn't ever going to come back. Why would she? If all of her friends were gone why would Crona come back to this hot, dusty town?

She was gone.

Liz and Patti watched as he did all of Maka and Soul's dishes, the countertops, the sink, the stove, mouth moving minutely the entire time and eyes focused on the middle distance.

"Kid." Liz tried to gently break his thoughts as Kid started messing with the flowers, trying to arrange them more evenly from the haphazard way Soul had placed them. "Maybe we should just leave Kid."

Before he could answer Soul came back in.

He looked at Kid rearranging the flowers and half laughed and half sighed.

"You know, the two of you really need to work this out." He pointed out.

"If I go out there am I going to get a rock thrown at my head?"

Soul shook his head. "Nah. She wouldn't risk hitting the house."

~x~x~

Kid cautiously walked across the back yard. Maka had her back to him, curled up on a lawn chair. He slowly sat down in the one next to her. He looked up at the sky.

Death City was isolated enough that the view of the sky was better than most places. Certainly better than New York. He could see Orion and the Big Dipper clearly enough.

Kid shot a cautious look at Maka, her face buried in her knees, but silent. He opened his mouth, but realised he didn't have anything to say, so shut it again.

"I just miss her okay?" Maka said to her legs. "I miss that fact she never laughed at my poetry and the way she always tried to make me happy, and how she let me say how I felt about my parents without ever trying to tell me I was wrong, even when I was. I wanted her to be my Maid of Honor, like we planned in high school." She finally lifted her head and sniffed. "I just really miss my best friend, Kid."

"Maka, I-I didn't know. I didn't know she was," his throat closed around the word 'gone', making it come out strangled.

"And that's suppose to make it better?" Maka snapped. "If you hadn't left maybe she would still be here Kid."

"Crona is her own person Maka, stop trying to blame all of this on me." Kid's own temper flared, sick of being yelled at. "We won't ever know if she would have done something different because this is the way it happened."

"I can still speculate," Maka growled.

"A lot of good that's done us so far," Kid shot back. "Would you mind just listening to me for a moment?

Maka stayed quiet even though she was still curled up and glaring. Kid took this as a sign that she was going to let him say his piece.

"I didn't know she was gone Maka. No one told me. I guess I thought she might still be here. I wanted to-to," his words petered off. "I think I wanted to try and make it right. There hasn't been anyone else for me, Maka. I don't think there ever will be."

Kid nearly fell out his chair when Maka pushed his shoulder. "I can't believe you're telling me this! You should be telling her."

"I'd love to. I really would. Does anyone know where she went?"

Maka rolled her eyes at him. "If they did, don't you think I would know? After Medusa died Stein said that she and Ragnarok sold the house back to the bank, threw every piece of furniture that wasn't nailed down out on the front lawn and then packed up Medusa's car and left before her body was even cremated."

Kid's heart sank. "No forwarding address? Nothing?"

"No. They left and disappeared into the desert," Maka sighed heavily, and laid her head back down on her knees. "I don't think she wants to be found Kid."

"What? Why?"

"Oh come on. After everything that happened to her here, do you really think Crona would want to stay in place that never accepted her? And you were gone and I was in California and Blake is in Japan, doing god only knows what. Her family was gone and I think she wanted to start over Kid."

They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the traffic.

"I'm still mad at you though. Just because Crona left on her own doesn't mean I don't blame you. I was hoping that you would at least know where she might be," Maka muttered.

Kid shrugged. "If I know she'd be with me now, or at least i would hope so."

She sighed. "I know. But I've just never," she choked on her words slightly, "I never got to say goodbye, you know?"

"If you hit me, would it make you feel better?" Kid offered.

"I'd have to do it twice, to make your face symmetrical." Maka shot back.

"...Okay," he said, resigned to his fate.

~x~x~

When they went back inside, Soul had a new glass of wine for Maka and taking one look at Kid's cheeks, a cold compress.

"Did you get if figure out?" He asked Maka, who shrugged.

"I'm still mad, but I promise not to thrown an more wine."

Liz finally broke in.

"Okay, and I'm done with being coy." She pointed at Kid. "Who the hell was Crona and what did you do Kid? Get her pregnant? Break up with her on prom? Dump pig blood on her? What?!"

"Yeah, seriously Kid. You know about all of our dirty laundry, fair's fair," Patti pointed out. Kid noticed she's take the rest of his steak.

Maka shot him an incredulous look. "You didn't tell them?"

"It wasn't something I wanted to keep remembering, Maka." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah neither did I and I told Soul."

"Yes, after a year of dating and finding out that you wanted to come back to find her," He said pointedly.

Maka opened her mouth to argue and Liz interrupted. "Before you start your couple's spat can someone please explain!"

Maka sighed, setting her wine down.

"Come into the living room. I still have my scrapbooks. It's easier to talk about that way."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

( **A/N: Backstory. Also Trigger Warning: We talk about Crona and her coming out to her friends as a girl. But there is an early flashback where Crona's birth name is used. And we talk about Medusa's abusive nature, and also about Liz and Patti's rough childhood, so if those are subjects that are going to mess with you, I'm warning you now. Also, true story, I did buy my prom dress from a thrift store for about 15 bucks.** )

Maka and Soul's living room was one part crammed bookshelves, one part records, and the last feet of space was devoted to a keyboard, guitar and a box TV. Kid carefully sat down on the faded couch, Liz flopping down beside him and Patti perching on the arm of the couch.

"How long have you lived here?" Liz asked, looking at the cardboard boxes still stacked in corners.

"We moved back after Maka got the call from Spirit about Crona leaving," Soul explained.

Maka was stretching to grab a box off the top bookshelf. "It's actually Ms. Marie's old place."

Kid could feel his eyebrows rise. "What? Really?"

Maka finally grabbed the box and brought it back down. "Umm hmm. Guess who she got married to?" At Kid's shrug she grinned, "Stein."

"The guy with the screw in his head?" Patti blurted out. Maka nodded.

"Yeah after we moved in, the next day I came downstairs for breakfast and he was just standing around, watching Marie make coffee." Soul shook his head. "I honestly thought I was still asleep."

"Did Maka tell you about the time she stole all the mice he had for dissection and let them go?" Kid asked. Maka glared. "That was your idea, Kid."

That was a lie. It was all Maka.

She sat down with the old scrapbooks. Kid's heart jerked, looking at the faded books, covered in stickers and glittery peeling letters.

"Whoa, I haven't seen a scrapbook since, um," Liz trailed off. "I don't think I've ever seen a scrapbook."

"I wanted to be the year booked editor, so I took pictures of everything for a while." Maka flipped through the books. She finally found the one she was looking for and laid it on the table.

Kid's heart jumped. The picture was of when Crona had first come to Death City, the official school picture. Crona's blue eyes were shadowed and their smile was strained.

"Cronus Gorgon." Patti read out loud. She looked up. "I thought her name was Crona?"

"Crona's a trans girl," Maka said, her voice deceptively light. She slid her gaze over to Patti, who met it squarely.

"Okay." She shrugged and flipped the page. Crona next to the office bulletin board, pointing to the 'Poetry Club' sign, smiling slightly. The club never took off but it gave Crona a reason to stay late after school on mondays on fridays. "Did you think that was going to be a problem for me and Lizzy?"

"It's a problem for a lot of people. Even the teachers here didn't always call Crona by her right name," Maka shot back.

"Yeah, we knew a couple people in New York like that. We lived right in the middle of Brooklyn."

Maka flicked her eyes over Patti again, seeming to asses her. After a moment she nodded slightly, and continued flipping through other books. From one she pulled out a manilla folder, hidden in the back.

"We met Crona towards the end of freshman year."

Kid could remember it startling detail.

 _"Kid!"_

 _A wad of paper hit him in the back of the head. Kid whipped around in his seat to glare at his friend._

 _"Black Star, what the hell was that for?"_

 _Black Star leaned over his desk, making his desk tip forward on its front legs._

 _"Dude, have you seen Maka yet?" The bell rang and Stein walked in, cracking his neck._

 _"Black Star drop the desk, Kid turn around, Hiro stop harassing Jackie." The classroom quieted down. Kid shrugged before turning around. There was a thump as Black Star dropped his desk._

 _"Welcome back to bio 101. I hope you all had a nice mandatory celebration season. I know I sure had fun sacrificing a goat to Hubbard."_

 _Stein stared around at the quiet students._

 _"That was a joke. Feel free to validate me."_

 _After a few weak laughs from the class Stein sighed and cracked his neck again. Kid winced at the noise._

 _"Anyway this semester we will be working on dissections. As I stated in your syllabus at the beginning of the year, if you aren't comfortable doing dissections, you should not be in my class. So before anyone asks, no, you cannot opt out."_

 _Before Stein could continue there was a sharp knock at the door. Stein sighed._

 _"Harvar, see who it is."_

 _"It's Maka. She has a new student with her," Harvar reported flatly. "Do you want me to let them in?"_

 _"Might as well, we've already been interrupted." Stein sat down in his spinning chair. Harvar shrugged and opened the door._

 _Kid knew that Maka has her sights on becoming student body president by her junior year and so had taken it upon herself to give tours to new students who came in during the year. So when she walked in with a tall boy with her, Kid wasn't surprised._

 _"Welcome back Albarn. Who is this?"_

 _Maka smiled warmly at the boy, who was staring resolutely at the ground. His hands were concealed by a big black hoodie and his jeans seemed to be two sizes too large. He looked at Stein then went back to staring at the floor, ignoring the rest of the classroom._

 _Kid could hear Black Star snicker and some of the students started whispering._

 _"This is Cronus Gorgon. He just moved to Death City. Do you still have your schedule, Cronus?" Maka gently touched his arm. Cronus removed a folded paper from his pocket, holding it out to Stein. The teacher took it and read it over while he spun around on his stool._

 _"Hmmm. You're in my homeroom class, huh? Do you have any issues with dissecting small animals?" Stein asked abruptly. Cronus looked up, eyes wide and lips trembling. He shook his head regardless._

 _"That's good. It's what we're covering this semester, and to pass my class you have to do one for the final." Stein scribbled his name on the schedule, then shoved to it back to Cronus, who fumbled with it. The new student raised his eyes to look around quickly. He and Kid met eyes. They both looked away as Cronus followed Maka out._

Kid was jerked from his memories by Maka, smacking the folder down.

"It didn't take very long for us to figure out about what was happening to Crona at home."

The picture was not pretty. Crona wasn't looking into the camera, they were looking to the side and Kid could see her puffy eyes and red nose from crying. A purple bruise was blooming under her eye and scratches on her cheek.

Liz winced, brushing her hair back from her face.

"I can remember those bruises all too well."

Maka and Soul looked over in surprise. Patti gave an over exaggerated shrug.

"Our mother was a very pretty whore. Her Johns didn't like kids getting under foot."

Patti delivered the information so bluntly that someone who didn't know her very well would assume that she didn't care.

Kid knew all too well.

Liz hated having her hair or face touched, even gently. Patti's natural reaction to anyone raising their voice at her was to strike out. When Liz was anxious, Kid often came home to the apartment over-stocked with food, even when they didn't need it. When first meeting her, Patti, despite still being a minor, was stoned a lot of the time. After her appendicitis, she started cutting back and eventually went months sober.

Nine years together, and off the streets, Liz and Patti were better.

So was Kid.

"Um," Maka stuttered. Liz waved it away.

"We're not talking about this. I asked to hear about Kid's ex."

Maka nodded. She flipped a page and sighed. It was her and Crona, Maka's arm around her shoulders. They were in front of the school and Black Star in was in the background, doing a handstand.

"Crona- her mother moved her and her brother from Italy. I think Medusa was from Greece originally."

"Did you ever meet Medusa?" Kid asked.

Maka's face darkened. "No" she sneered. "I never had that pleasure."

Kid did, once.

 _Everyone could tell Cronus - Crona, Kid reminded himself, was sick._

 _Ms. Marie was nice enough to let her put her head down through her lesson, but the next day when Crona showed up, smothering coughs in her oversized sweater sleeves and sweating, Stein took one look at her, sighed and asked Kid to walk her down to the nurse's office._

 _"I'll stay with you, until your mother comes," he promised._

 _Crona laid on the nurse's cot, quiet and still as Spirit called Medusa. Kid re-read the pamphlets on anxiety and depression. The bell rang and classes changed. Maka came in to give Crona a hug goodbye._

 _It took over an hour for Medusa to get there._

 _Kid didn't know what he had been expecting, but the short pony-tailed blonde who was still in her scrubs, wasn't it._

 _Until he saw her eyes._

 _They were so cold. She looked at her child and made the appropriate motherly sounds of concern but there was nothing there. She helped Crona off the cot and led them away with a hand on her shoulder. Crona glanced over her shoulder at Kid, before Medusa led her away._

"I started taking note of all the things that Medusa was doing to Crona. I wanted her to go to the police and get that bitch arrested," Maka said.

"Why didn't she? Crona, I mean." Patti flipped the page, looking at the picture of Crona with Kid. It was right after they started dating and were sitting on Maka's couch, holding hands. Kid still had braces, even. "God, Kid you look like a nerd."

"Thanks, Patti," he said dryly.

"She was absolutely terrified of Medusa. Crona was sure that if she left Medusa would find her again. She wouldn't let me tell my father, or Stein or even Kid's dad."

"You could have, anyway. I mean sometimes you need to do something for a friend you wouldn't usually do, right? For their own good?"

"I wanted to," Kid said. "But Crona. She- she-" Kid's voice faltered and he cleared his throat. "She threatened to run away, if we went to any authority."

"But, like I said, she was terrified," Maka said firmly.

Patti and Liz exchanged a look. Patti flipped the page again and squealed.

"Oh my god Kid, that's so cute."

It was a picture of him and Crona for 'prom'. Kid's heart jerked in his chest.

 _"Ta-dah! We're done!"_

 _Kid leapt off the couch, palms sweaty. Black Star wolf whistled._

 _"Yo Crona, lookin' good!"_

 _She blushed, looking at the ground, her black shin length dress sparkling. It had been a thrift store find, and Maka had tailored it, waist in, hips out. Over her shoulder there was a black wrap, tied in front._

 _Kid was breathless, staring._

 _She was so… striking. Dark red lipstick, and her hair curled, and pinned back, she was like a Golden Age movie star. They met each other's eyes and Kid blushed, fiddling with the gift in his hands. Crona hadn't wanted a corsage._

 _"Roses wilt, Kid. I don't want to think of anything dying during what's supposed to be a happy night."_

 _Maka cleared her throat and pushed Black Star into the kitchen. They were boycotting prom, and had stocked up on every unhealthy snack possible._

 _"Y-you look really handsome, Kid," Crona said, eyes trailing down to the floor._

 _"You look beautiful Crona. I have something for you." Kid handed her the box, heart thumping as she untied the bow._

 _Her quiet gasp made it the anxiety worth it._

 _"Oh my god Kid. Th-they're beautiful." She picked the black satin gloves out of the box, running her fingers over the material. Kid took her hand and gently rolled it up her arm._

 _"I know you said you didn't want any flowers, so I thought these might be better." Kid smiled up at her. Crona was blushing and his eyes water slightly._

 _He loved her._

 _"Hey Kid! Look!" Black Star shouted and he turned slightly, the flash going off in his face._

"I remember that." Maka smiled fondly.

"Who did you go to prom with?" Soul asked.

"Oh I didn't go. Black Star and I bought tickets, my father gave me, like, five hundred dollars for a dress. Crona and I bought hers and then I spent the rest on snacks and savings. Then Black Star and I spent the night at Kid's house while he and Crona went to Las Vegas for dinner and dancing."

"So why didn't you go?" Liz tilted her head.

"They weren't going to let Kid and Crona go," Maka spat, fire in her eyes.

Kid laughed bitterly, bile rising all over again. "The flyer said that it could only be couples of a boy and a girl." Soul and Liz winced.

His father could never tell Kid to his face that he didn't approve, but he certainly could show it.

"So Black Star and I bought the tickets, told our parents we were going together, and then before the party we snuck in and egged the place. I think Black Star also dumped like a gallon of vodka in the punch," Maka concluded casually.

"Yikes," Patti said appreciatively. Kid looked over her shoulder at the picture again.

The young him was staring at Crona, still smiling. Happy because she was happy. Something in Kid's chest was warm.

"May I have this one, Maka?" He asked.

Maka's eyes flitted over him, like she was scanning his thoughts. Some part of his thoughts must have shown on his face, however because her hard expression softened and she tugged the photo loose.

"I think I have more, if you want."

Liz finished her glass of wine and stood up to stretch. "This has been surprisingly illuminating. I never knew any of this about Kid."

He winced when her gaze landed on him.

"But we should be heading out. Tomorrow's the picnic right?"

"Yeah." Soul helped Maka up from where she had been sitting cross legged on the floor. "Are you coming?"

"Better belive it. You bring the frisbee. I'll bring the ass-kicking you deserve, Eater." Liz smirked.

"Good luck with that Thompson."

They walked Kid, Liz and Patti to the door.

"We'll see you tomorrow." Soul gave Liz and Patti brief hugs before shaking Kid's hand.

Maka surprised him by giving a quick tight hug. Kid flailed for a moment before returning it.  
"Still mad," she whispered in his ear before letting him go.  
"We'll see you tomorrow, at the picnic." Soul said before closing the door.

"Well, that went well!" Liz said brightly. Kid patted his stained shirt and sticky hair, glaring slightly.  
Liz slid back into the driver's seat, Patti next to her and Kid got into the back.

Liz pulled out of the driveway and they were all quiet for a moment before she spoke up again.

"I guess now I get why you've never dated anyone else."

Kid tilted his head. Liz met his gaze in the rearview mirror.

"Because you're still in love with someone."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

(A/N: Has anyone thought about how much running in Death City must suck? It's hilly and in the middle of the damn Death Valley.)

Kid felt ready to collapse into bed. He'd only been back here for a day and he already felt exhausted.

Liz and Patti had their heads bent together as Kid unlocked the door. Kid had a funny feeling that they were conspiring.

"Goodnight," he said, heading upstairs.

"'Night Kid!" They chorused. He shook his head fondly and walked upstairs, yawning.

He staggered off to his bedroom, more tired than he had been since his last case. Kid opened the doorway and took off his shoes, before collapsing on the bed. He laid back with groan and took out the photo he'd taken from Maka. The teenage Kid and Crona smiled nervously at him from the past. His eyes naturally focused on Crona's face, taking in her pale and tired eyes.

She'd always looked so exhausted, more stressed and worn than any seventeen year old should be.

Reluctantly Kid put the picture on the his nightstand and got up to change for bed. Brushing his teeth Kid raised his eyes to his reflection. His own eyes were now shadowed, his face starting to get lined. The vitiligo in his hair was being joined by strands grey. He smiled sardonically around the toothbrush in his mouth. He was starting to show his age.

Kid turned off his light and positioned himself in the middle of the bed. He was tired but when he closed his eyes the only thing he could see was Crona's face, the last time he'd see her. The scared, tired look and he laid there, wondering where she was now. Was she happy? Safe? Had she'd forgotten him completely, and moved on with her life with someone else? Had she transitioned, finally able to feel like herself? Kid tried to picture what a older, grown up Crona would look like but his mind kept flashing to the picture, to her tired gray eyes and nervous smile.

It was hours before he fell asleep.

x~x~x~x

Shockingly, Liz and Patti were up before Kid was the next morning. Usually Patti wouldn't get before one pm unless there was a fire, and Liz denied that any time before nine am even existed.

"Good morning Kid." Liz put coffee in front of him. Kid sleepily muttered his thanks. "Sleep well?" Liz probed. Taking a rather longer sip than he usually would Kid shook his head.

"I was restless. How about you girls? Any problems?" He missed the look Liz and Patti shared.

"We slept fine." Patti munched on some cereal she'd found somewhere. Kid was afraid to ask. "Kid, you're still taking your medication right?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"

Patti shrugged. "I don't know. Sometimes you just do changes badly."

"Well I am," Kid replied, a little confused.

"Anyway, do you still have that invite? What time should we show up for that picnic?" Liz asked.

"It says it'll start at eleven. Most likely people will just show up throughout the day, so we can leave for it anytime you're ready." Kid rubbed his eyes.

"We should just leave at eleven, that way we aren't early," Liz pointed out. "Hey Kid, do you know if you have a frisbee anywhere?"

"Garage," Kid said immediately. "I don't think I ever used it, but my father gave me one for christmas."

Patti grinned. "Excellent. I haven't forgotten Soul winning our last match of ultimate frisbee. I think it's time to get him back." Kid laughed.

"Be careful about that. Last I remember Maka was running a mile a day and already had a black belt. You might have met your match," he teased.

Patti scoffed. "Oh sure, we'll see about that."

"Do you know if your dad is coming to the picnic?" Liz finished off her own coffee and dumped it in the sink. Kid rolled his eyes to his father's upstairs rooms.

"I doubt it. He rarely went to any school functions when I was in highschool, I don't see why he would have changed." Kid sighed.

Liz and Patti shot each other another look.

"Will the two of you stop doing that? I notice you know." He tapped his fingers sharply on the table.

"Sorry Kid. Old habits ectera, ectera." Liz waved her hand, eyes skirting away from his face. Kid frowned. He stood from the table, no longer hungry.

"I think I'll go for a run before we have to get ready," he announced, fastidiously washing his mug out and putting it in the dishwasher, before washing his hands. He had the funny feeling that Liz and Patti burst into whispers right after he left.

~x~x~x~

Even though it was still early, the sun was already baking the sidewalk and there was very little shade as Kid ran uphill. His every breath caught in his chest and he was soon wiping rivers of sweat away from his eyes, mildly disgusted. But he needed a release. Someway to let go of the bound up and nervous energy, still brewing in his gut from last night. His mind was still all tangled in his thoughts and his heart ached.

Goddamn Liz, but she was right.

'Because you're still in love with someone'. Of course Kid was still in love Crona, or at least he what he remember to be Crona, he'd never loved another.

At Harvard, Kid had thrown himself into his studies, taking advanced course after advanced course and by the time he graduated, he was basically already a first year law student. All of his professors had already written him letters of recommendations and Kid had even begun a weekend internship with a local law firm.

It had nearly driven him insane with stress and Kid had suffered a nervous collapse that ended with him in the hospital for a week, after shutting himself in his room and losing approximately fifteen pounds in five days. Liz had nearly begged him to cut back on his workload, or to see a therapist. Kid refused the therapist, but begrudgingly cut back on his classes, and resigned his internship.

He'd done it for a good reason, Kid insisted to himself, because if he hadn't been tired and kept busy, Kid never would have been able to resist the urge to come home, to chase Crona down and beg for her back. His waking moments were haunted by her voice and his sleeping ones by her vestige, tragic and beautiful. Working so hard nearly drove Kid to madness but dwelling on Crona, and all of the would-have, could-have, should-haves, would have pushed him over.

He stopped his run at the top of a hill, looking out over the desert. His lungs ached. His calves were going to make him regret waking tomorrow. But his heart thumped at the familiar scenery. The stark sands reflected the sun, beaming in golden radiance. He started a slow jog back to the house, looking forward to his proper shower.

Yes Kid had missed his home, missed his friends. And now with his heart torn open all over, he missed Crona too.

X~x~x~

"Liz, Patti, let's go!" Kid shouted.

"Chill out Kid, it's not like we can be late." Liz sauntered downstairs, wearing a pairing of jean cut offs and a thin blue tank top. Her face was shaded by a straw cowboy hat.

He shrugged. "I like leaving on schedule."

Patti jumped from the third step, making the floor shake. She was holding a frisbee, a soccer ball and a water gun. Kid didn't remember ever owning a water gun.

"I'm ready Kid! Let's go!" She started for the front door.

"Hey hey hey, are either of you going to put on sunscreen?" Liz asked.

"I'll do it when we get there Liz, but let's go already." Kid gestured to the door, Patti laughing at her sister. Liz continued to grumble about sunburns as she climbed into the driver's seat.

The park the picnic was held at was the oldest in the city, on a steep hill that had been flattened and overlooking a man made lake. It was well shaded by craggy old pine trees, and there was a crumbling brick wall that was suppose to be where the original Morte mansion stood.

"What happened to it?" Patti asked curiously.

"During the Great Depression there were riots in the city and the house was burned to the ground. Luckily my great-great grandfather, Felix and his wife, Fortune, escaped. The spent some time in Las Vegas where he won money in the casinos. Enough to come back and help revitalize local business and rebuild the Morte home." Kid smiled. "You know, my middle name is Felix."

Liz snorted. "You're middle name literally means lucky?"

"It's a very dignified middle name, thank you," Kid said.

Patti giggled. "Yeah Liz, see it means he was lucky to meet us!"

Liz winked at her sister in the rear view mirror while Kid huffed in playful exasperation. He smiled regardless, thinking that he was indeed quite fortunate to have the Thompsons in his life.

The parking lot next to the park was already filling up and Kid looked around for any familiar faces. On the playground there was the sounds of screaming and laughing children. The sun beamed.

"I don't see anyone, I think the picnic is more towards the interior of the park," Kid said.

With Liz and Patti trailing behind him, Kid led the way into the grassy, tree dotted field.

~x~x~x~

They had been walking along the shade of the trees for about ten minutes when a familiar voice made Kid look around.

"Hamlet, Ham- _let_ , get back here! How many times have I told you, you don't run off without mama?"

A little boy, complete with golden curls and glasses ran out from the trees, giggling. Right on his heels was Marie Mjolnir, her hair up in a messy ponytail that Kid flashing back to senior AP english.

She grabbed the little boy up, and situated him on her hip, looking at him with her good eye. Her hand brushed his bangs away from his glasses, fixing them on his face.

"Come on, mama needs to finish putting sunscreen on you. And on your daddy! Wherever he's poking around," she muttered, turning 90 degrees and caught sight of them. Her eye widen.

"Hello, Ms. Marie," Kid said.

She stared stiffly at him, her eye roving over her face. The corners of her mouth tipped down and her jaw set.

"Hello, Kid. Welcome back," she bit off, her words thrown like a challenge.

This did not shock Kid.

Crona had thought Marie hung the stars and moon. If Maka should have been her sister, Marie was the person Crona would have chosen to be her mother.

~X~x~x~x~

" _Okay class today we start on everyone's favorite part of the curriculum, short stories!" Marie walked back and forth between the rows of desks, her high-heeled sandals tapping. "Now I know you are all so enthused about Edgar Allen-Poe, and Ray Bradbury," at this the class groaned, "However, I thought since you are my AP class we could do something a little different! This semester we will be focusing our attention solely on short stories written by women." She turned around and smiled broadly. "So we will start with Kate Chopin, and 'Story of an Hour'. Please get into groups of four and um Crona, will you please pass these around?" She gestured to the stack of worksheets._

 _Crona smiled shyly, getting up. Marie was the only teacher who ever really called on Crona is a positive way. In other classes Crona was either ignored, or deliberately humiliated._

" _Okay mom."_

 _It slipped out so naturally that for a moment Crona didn't seem to realize what she said. Then the class erupted into laughter. Marie was blushing but Crona had gone bone white. She stood stock still as the class kept laughing._

 _It was one thing to be a teacher's pet, but altogether another to have something like that slip out._

 _A flustered Marie shouted for silence and order, never meeting Crona eyes. She sat back down as the worksheets were handed out. Head down and eyes on her paper she did not look up for the remainder of class._

X~x~x~x~x

Kid and Marie were still engaged in their staring contest when her son, Hamlet, started wiggling in her grasp.

"Daddy! Daddy!" He made grabby hands at someone behind Kid and the Thompsons. He turned and saw Stein, loaded with about fifty pounds of groceries, striding over the ground to them.

"Offspring. Wife," he said gravely, approaching. Stein raised an eyebrow at Kid. "Former student."

"Patti, and Liz. Now that we are all informed of our relative position to each other can you show us where this party is?" Patti asked brightly, smiling all the while. Liz turned her laugh into a cough. Stein's glasses flashed in the sunlight and he jerked his head towards the trees.

"We were somehow roped into this dog and pony show. Everything is being set up over here." He handed Kid some of the shopping bags, filled with chips and soda. "You're not a minor anymore. I can put you to work. Take this."

Getting the feeling that Liz and Patti were enjoying this, Kid carried the bags, feeling Marie's eye on him all the while.

Walking through the trees, Kid emerged out into a smaller field where two picnic tables were already laden with snacks and much to his amusement, Soul had been roped into standing over one of the parks grills.

"Hey! Kid!" He set the bags down as Maka ran up to him, her cheerful yellow sunhat flopping around. "You took your time getting here."

Liz and Patti caught up to them. "Yeah. This park is huge and with no clear directions..." Liz said. Maka grimaced. "Alright alright, point taken."

Patti dropped her collection of toys next to the table and raised the frisbee over her head, a gleam entering her eye.

"Okay, Soul. Today is the day. The day you meet your maker! Liz, go long!" And with that she let the disc fly, Liz sprinting for it. Soul was stuck in the middle, abandoned at the grill.

Kid shook his head. A shadow passed over the sun and he looked up to find Stein looming over him.

At five feet eight inches Kid was only two inches below average, however Stein had over a foot of height on him and it was impossible not to feel a little threatened by the way Stein was staring at him.

"She's mad at you," he gestured to Marie.

"I guessed," Kid said dryly. Stein nodded solemnly. Then he clapped Kid on the back, nearly sending him to his knees.

"Meet me in the parking lot next to the silver subaru at sunset," the man said then turned and walked over to Marie. Kid watched him bemusedly.

Parking lot at sunset?

What on earth could Stein want from him?

Kid turned away to see Patti running at him in full tilt. He leapt aside just in time as she caught the frisbee. She smiled at him, the bridge of her nose already getting pink from the Nevada sun. The electric blue frisbee was waved in his face.

"Damn Kid! You were right, Maka is awesome at this!"

She handed it to him and started running. Out in the field, Liz and Maka waved at him to throw it. Kid looked down at the disk then back up, and stepped into the sun, already grinning.

~x~x~x~

As the day wore on, many more people appeared. Harvar, his hair grown long and glasses on his thin nose. He'd gone to Denver University, and was still single.

He pulled Kid aside after Soul started pulling burgers off the grill.

"Hey, I wanted to say sorry to you Kid."

This was the last thing he expected to hear from Harv. Kid said as much.

The other man stared at him coolly.

"I believe I expressed repeated disbelief about your genuine attraction to Cronus-"

"Crona," Kid interjected.

Harv nodded. "Yes. I suppose so. Crona. Anyway, I wanted to say I was sorry for being derisive."

Kid looked Harvar over. He nodded. "Well, thank you I suppose, for your apology. Can I ask what brought this on?"

The bespectacled man shuffled, balancing his veggie burger and coke on his plate.

"I grew up during college. Did some thinking. That's all really," Was what he concluded out loud. Kid nodded, understanding. Harvar smiled slightly, walking away.

"Hope we see Crona this weekend, Kid."

Kid's grin melted off faster than Patti's ice cream in the sun.

Soul had been freed from the grill and passed it off on Thomas Sarel, who looked bemused standing over the coals. He, Maka, Liz and Patti took Kid by the elbow and march him away to make him show them the ruins of his ancestors house. They walked around and Patti gave Liz a heart attack by climbing around the ruined brick and mortar walls.

They were standing by a hill that led into a muddy gully when Maka pointed it out.

"Have you seen Black Star yet?"

Kid shook his head. "I haven't." He snorted. "Bizarre, you'd think he'd be the first to this event, what with how he loved the spotlight."

Maka laughed. "Yep! That was Blake all over."

Patti, arms held out like a gymnast, asked, "What happened to him?"

"He went off to Japan. I got one postcard from him when I was still living in Death City, but when I went to school, I never heard from him again," Maka explained.

"Do Sid and Naigus still live here?" Kid asked.

Maka nodded, sun hat flopping around. Her arms were tanning while Soul was probably going to look like a tomato by the end of the day.

"Yeah. You'd think he'd come back to at least visit them."

Kid shrugged, turning to look down the gully.

"With Black Star, who knows honestly? He was always so-"

"WHAT'S GOOD KID?" A voice shouted and Kid and Maka whipped around.

"Oh no," he groaned and braced for impact.

Maka shrieked and tried to leap aside however with the trees on one side and the crumbling walls on the other there was no where to go. Black Star charged into them, arms outspread. For a moment they all teetered together in a massive chokehold slash bearhug and the next Kid was tumbling ass over elbow down into the mud and grass.

He spent a moment staring at the spinning blue sky over head then groaned again.

"Hi, Black Star."


End file.
